How can I clean oil stains off my driveway?

Your home’s curb appeal is greatly affected by the condition of your concrete driveway. If your concrete is saturated in oils, grease, and radiator fluid, then its time to give your front yard a little face lift. If you have wet oil and grease stains, then you will need to start with kitty litter. Cover the entire stain generously with kitty litter and allow it to sit for a few days; the litter will absorb the excess oil and make stain removal easier. Once you have removed the kitty litter, you are ready to begin cleaning.  

First, hose down the entire area. Concrete is porous; by allowing the concrete to absorb a layer of water, you will better be able to work the cleaner into the surface. Next, treat the oldest, darkest stains first. Use a solution of one part water to one part cleaner (Clean Advantage is a great product and is available at Cohill’s Building Specialties). Allow the solution to sit for several minutes and then scrub the area with the broom.

Once you have hosed down these areas, you will notice that in place of those dark stains are bright clean spots. So, although you have rid your concrete of dark stains, the concrete will still be uneven in appearance. Using a less potent mixture of cleaner and water treat the entire driveway and scrub with the broom. This will remove tire tracks, light rust stains, fruit stains (like olives & dates), and grime. The cleaner actually etches the surface of the concrete slightly. You will achieve a much more even color of concrete once the entire area has been treated. Ideally, you should now take the opportunity apply a penetrating seal to help deter future stains. OKON makes several concrete sealers and should be applied every 1-2 years.